Chapter 219. A Predicament of Choice
"First things first," Noah murmured to the empty air, his voice low and focused. "I need to bring some semblance of order to this hoard." He began to methodically tuck the spoils of his recent exploits into the depths of his satchel, his fingers tracing the cold, jagged edges of artifacts that defied the laws of the mundane world.
Among the new acquisitions was a peculiar vessel—the Elixir of Iron. It was a stout bottle, encased in a rugged metallic housing with a thick glass viewport. Through the pane, a viscous, sapphire-hued liquid swirled with a life of its own, pulsing with a faint, rhythmic light. He knew its power; a single draught would grant the imbiber a surge of titanic strength and a temporary growth in stature, turning flesh into something as unyielding as the name suggested. Yet, Noah hesitated. He chose to stow it away for later study, his mind already spinning with the possibilities of alchemical replication and mass production. A single bottle was a boon, but a steady supply? That was an empire.
"Now, let's see what fate has hidden in these shards."
With his inventory settled, he turned his attention to the ethereal fragments vibrating in his palm. The air around him seemed to hum with anticipation. After two successful x10 Summons, he stood possessed of three random fragments: two skin shards and a single hero shard. In addition to these, a rare trial card sat at the bottom of his digital interface, glowing with a soft, inviting light.
Noah paused, a flicker of doubt crossing his mind. 'System,' he projected his thought into the void of the interface, 'if I activate this random skin experience card now, will the power be thrust upon me instantly, or can it remain manifested in the form of a physical card?'
He weighed the risks. In a world where death lurked in every shadow, a sudden, uncontrolled transformation could be as much a curse as a blessing. If the system allowed him to keep it as a trump card—a hidden ace to be played when his back was against the wall—it would be worth more than gold. His eyes drifted to two other hero experience cards he had been hoarding for some time. He remembered his first foray into the unknown, the day he had transformed into the gluttonous Tahm Kench. That baptism by fire, brought on by a Rank-A mission, had taught him the value of a well-timed transformation. He had kept these cards as a safety net against enemies who might outmatch his current strength.
Yet, a part of him bristled at the thought of relying solely on the whims of fortune. True power, he believed, came from one's own evolution.
[The method of utilization for the random experience card may be designated by the Summoner.]
"Hah! So it can be stored as a tangible card?" Noah's spirits lifted instantly. The heavy weight of uncertainty vanished, replaced by a gambler's excitement. "Fine then. We start with the shards, then we move to the cards. Let the dice roll!"
He reached into the inventory and pulled out the hero shard first. The light faded, revealing a cold, metallic sliver.
[Hero Shard Acquired: The Steel Shadow, Camille]
"Camille...?" Noah's brow furrowed as he turned the shard over. "Precision is everything, but she doesn't offer the raw utility I need right now." He sighed, tucking it away. It was a fine piece, certainly, but for now, it was nothing more than high-grade fodder for a future synthesis.
Next, he turned to the skin shards, his heart hammering against his ribs. He cracked them both at once, like a man tearing open a long-awaited letter.
[Skin Shard Acquired: Mecha Aatrox]
[Skin Shard Acquired: Hextech Kassadin]
"What in the...!" Noah's eyes widened, a grin spreading across his face. "Mecha Aatrox? And a skin for Kassadin?" The luck was almost suspicious. One offered the blueprint for a towering titan of steel, while the other promised to enhance a hero he already commanded. "Both are magnificent. Simply magnificent."
He held the shards up to the light, mesmerized by the intricate patterns etched into their surfaces. He wanted them both. He wanted the raw, mechanical fury of the Mecha and the arcane-tech sophistication of the Hextech armor. But shards were merely seeds; they needed more to grow into a full-fledged reality. To synthesize both, he would need at least four more shards to serve as catalysts.
He cast a quick, hopeful glance back into his system inventory, praying for a hidden reserve.
[Skin Shards: Commando Garen x1, Highland Tryndamere x1, Waterloo Miss Fortune x1, Hextech Kassadin x1, Mecha Aatrox x1]
"Only one shard short... how utterly vexing," Noah whispered, his teeth grinding together. He stared at the five icons, the math mocking him. He had three 'fodder' shards he had long ago set aside for just such an occasion, but with only five total, he was forced to choose. It was either the refined power of Hextech Kassadin or the colossal promise of Mecha Aatrox.
"Which path to take? The void-walker or the machine-god?" He sank into a deep, brooding silence.
The Kassadin skin was a masterpiece of Hextech engineering—a suit of armor that bridged the gap between sorcery and science. It could potentially unlock an entire branch of cosmic-tech development. But Aatrox... Mecha Aatrox was different. It stirred something primal in him. He remembered the towering jaegers of Pacific Rim, the sheer, awe-inspiring scale of man-made monsters. How could a man say no to a giant combat mech?
The decision finalized in his mind like a hammer striking an anvil. While the Kassadin armor was valuable, he felt confident he could eventually replicate its tech through his own brilliance. But a Mecha? That was a dream made of chrome and fire.
He clicked on the Aatrox fragment, and the system's synthesis interface hummed to life. He dragged the icons of Commando Garen and Highland Tryndamere into the sacrifice slots.
"Forgive me, boys. Your sacrifice will not be in vain."
He slammed his finger onto the 'Synthesize' button. The two material shards erupted in a web of cracks, shattering into a thousand brilliant sparks. These motes of light swirled into a miniature cyclone, being sucked into the Mecha Aatrox shard until the room was blinded by a final, searing flash.
[Synthesis complete. Skin Acquired: Mecha Aatrox]
[Warning: Since the Summoner does not possess the hero Aatrox, the full potential of this skin cannot be manifested.]
As the glow subsided, Noah reached out and caught the object as it fell. It wasn't a suit of armor or a weapon, but a sleek, obsidian-colored USB drive. Etched onto its side was the designation ATRX-1 in a glowing, crimson font.
Noah's thumb traced the engraving. Had he owned the hero template for Aatrox, the system would have birthed a completed war machine before his very eyes. As it stood, he held only the blueprints and the core logic. He would have to build the titan himself, piece by piece, bolt by bolt. But he didn't mind. In fact, he preferred it. He would use the rarest metals this universe had to offer, forging a Mecha that would make the original look like a child's plaything.
He tucked the drive away and turned back to the remaining prize. His gaze fell upon the random skin experience card, and with a flick of his wrist, he activated it.
[Experience Card Acquired (30 Minutes): Dark Star Thresh]
Noah froze. His breath hitched in his throat as the card shimmered in the air. "Gods above..."
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Dark Star Thresh
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